U.S. patent application number 16/261592 was filed with the patent office on 2019-08-08 for display-information generating apparatus, information processing apparatus, and imaging system.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Suresh MURALI, Shingo UCHIHASHI.
Application Number | 20190246059 16/261592 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67476169 |
Filed Date | 2019-08-08 |
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20190246059/US20190246059A1-20190808-D00009.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20190246059 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MURALI; Suresh ; et
al. |
August 8, 2019 |
DISPLAY-INFORMATION GENERATING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING
APPARATUS, AND IMAGING SYSTEM
Abstract
A display-information generating apparatus includes a
shooting-area acquisition unit, an arrangement deriving unit, and a
generating unit. For each of multiple imaging apparatuses, the
shooting-area acquisition unit acquires information about a
shooting area of the imaging apparatus. The arrangement deriving
unit obtains a three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area
on the basis of the information about the shooting area. The
three-dimensional arrangement is obtained when the shooting area is
viewed in a three-dimensional space. The generating unit generates
display information for a display apparatus displaying the
three-dimensional arrangement.
Inventors: |
MURALI; Suresh; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; UCHIHASHI; Shingo; (Kanagawa, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FUJI XEROX CO., LTD. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
67476169 |
Appl. No.: |
16/261592 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/44504 20130101;
H04N 5/2624 20130101; H04N 5/268 20130101; H04N 5/247 20130101;
H04N 7/181 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/445 20060101
H04N005/445; H04N 7/18 20060101 H04N007/18; H04N 5/268 20060101
H04N005/268 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2018 |
JP |
2018-020237 |
Claims
1. A display-information generating apparatus comprising: a
shooting-area acquisition unit that, for each of a plurality of
imaging apparatuses, acquires information about a shooting area of
the imaging apparatus; an arrangement deriving unit that obtains a
three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area on a basis of
the information about the shooting area, the three-dimensional
arrangement being obtained when the shooting area is viewed in a
three-dimensional space; and a generating unit that generates
display information for a display apparatus displaying the
three-dimensional arrangement.
2. The display-information generating apparatus according to claim
1, wherein the generating unit generates the display information
for further displaying lines indicating a viewing angle of the
imaging apparatus.
3. The display-information generating apparatus according to claim
2, wherein the generating unit generates the display information
for further displaying positions of the plurality of imaging
apparatuses.
4. The display-information generating apparatus according to claim
2, wherein the generating unit generates the display information by
superimposing the three-dimensional arrangement on an image
captured by using the imaging apparatus.
5. The display-information generating apparatus according to claim
1, further comprising: a selecting unit that selects an imaging
apparatus among the plurality of imaging apparatuses, the selected
imaging apparatus being an apparatus for which the
three-dimensional arrangement is to be displayed on the display
apparatus.
6. The display-information generating apparatus according to claim
5, further comprising: a switching unit that switches to an image
captured by using the imaging apparatus selected by the selecting
unit.
7. An information processing apparatus comprising: a
shooting-condition acquisition unit that acquires shooting
conditions of a plurality of imaging apparatuses; a shooting-area
deriving unit that obtains shooting areas of the plurality of
imaging apparatuses on a basis of the shooting conditions; and a
viewing-angle range deriving unit that obtains viewing angle ranges
of the plurality of imaging apparatuses.
8. An imaging system comprising: a shooting-condition acquisition
unit that acquires shooting conditions of a plurality of imaging
apparatuses; a shooting-area deriving unit that obtains shooting
areas of the plurality of imaging apparatuses on a basis of the
shooting conditions; an arrangement deriving unit that obtains
three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas on a basis of
information about the shooting areas, the three-dimensional
arrangements being obtained when the shooting areas are viewed in a
three-dimensional space; and a generating unit that generates
display information for a display apparatus displaying the
three-dimensional arrangements.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-020237 filed Feb.
7, 2018.
BACKGROUND
(i) Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a display-information
generating apparatus, an information processing apparatus, and an
imaging system.
(ii) Related Art
[0003] Heretofore, there has been present a technique in which
multiple imaging apparatuses such as cameras are used to provide
content, such as sports and news, by switching among images
captured by the respective imaging apparatuses.
[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2007-80262 describes the following technique. In the technique, a
content analysis module generates a three-dimensional semantic
layout of a site under surveillance. A rendering module integrates
video streams from multiple cameras with the semantic layout into a
three-dimensional immersive environment, and renders the video
streams in multiple displays on a user navigation interface. The
user navigation interface allows a user to perform at least one of
the following operations: selecting from multiple views for each of
the displays; and tracking a moving object in the video streams
with the largest screen resolution of the display in the displays
having the best view of the object.
[0005] Multiple images are captured by multiple imaging
apparatuses, and a user switches among the images. Thus, a shooting
target may be viewed from different shooting positions and
different shooting angles.
[0006] However, it is difficult to grasp, at a glance of the
images, their shooting positions and their different shooting
angles. Therefore, the user may have difficulty in determining
which image is to be selected.
SUMMARY
[0007] Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present
disclosure relates to a display-information generating apparatus
and the like. Even when multiple imaging apparatuses capture
multiple images, the display-information generating apparatus and
the like enable the shooting positions and the shooting angles of
the imaging apparatuses to be easily grasped, facilitating
selection of an image.
[0008] Aspects of certain non-limiting embodiments of the present
disclosure overcome the above disadvantages and/or other
disadvantages not described above. However, aspects of the
non-limiting embodiments are not required to overcome the
disadvantages described above, and aspects of the non-limiting
embodiments of the present disclosure may not overcome any of the
disadvantages described above.
[0009] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is
provided a display-information generating apparatus including a
shooting-area acquisition unit, an arrangement deriving unit, and a
generating unit. For each of multiple imaging apparatuses, the
shooting-area acquisition unit acquires information about a
shooting area of the imaging apparatus. The arrangement deriving
unit obtains a three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area
on the basis of the information about the shooting area. The
three-dimensional arrangement is obtained when the shooting area is
viewed in a three-dimensional space. The generating unit generates
display information for a display apparatus displaying the
three-dimensional arrangement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of
an imaging system according to an exemplary embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional
configuration example of a server and a terminal apparatus
according to the exemplary embodiment;
[0013] FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating actual examples in
which display information generated by a generating unit is
displayed on a display screen of a display apparatus;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of operations performed by a server
according to the exemplary embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of operations performed by a terminal
apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment;
[0016] FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating three-dimensional
arrangements, which are displayed on a display apparatus in step
205 in FIG. 5, of the shooting areas of cameras;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of operations performed by a terminal
apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary screen
displayed on a display screen of a display apparatus; and
[0019] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the case in which the
shooting areas of cameras are displayed on a single screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be
described in detail below by referring to the attached
drawings.
Description about the Entire Imaging System
[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration
of an imaging system 1 according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the imaging system 1 according to
the exemplary embodiment includes a server 10 that determines the
shooting areas of multiple cameras 40, a terminal apparatus 20 that
generates display information, a display apparatus 30 that displays
an image on the basis of the display information generated by the
terminal apparatus 20, and the multiple cameras 40 that take
photographs of predetermined areas on a predetermined surface
S.
[0023] The server 10, which is an exemplary information processing
apparatus, is a server computer that manages the entire imaging
system 1. As described below in detail, the server 10 collects
information about the shooting conditions of the cameras 40, and
determines the shooting areas of the cameras 40 on the basis of the
shooting conditions.
[0024] The terminal apparatus 20, which is an exemplary
display-information generating apparatus, is, for example, a
so-called general-purpose personal computer (PC). The terminal
apparatus 20 operates various types of application software under
the control of an operating system (OS) so as to perform
information processing and the like according to the exemplary
embodiment. As described in detail below, the terminal apparatus 20
determines three-dimensional arrangements obtained when the
shooting areas of the cameras 40 are viewed in a space, and
generates display information for displaying the three-dimensional
arrangements.
[0025] The server 10 and the terminal apparatus 20 each include a
central processing unit (CPU) that serves as a computing unit, and
a main memory and a hard disk drive (HDD) which serve as a storage.
The CPU executes various types of software, such as an OS
(operating system, basic software) and application programs
(application software). The main memory is a storage area used to
store various types of software, and data and the like which are
used in execution of the software. The HDD is a storage area used
to store, for example, input data for various type of software and
output data from various types of software.
[0026] The server 10 includes a communication interface for
communicating with the outside, and also includes an input unit.
The input unit is formed of a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. The
input unit is used to activate and terminate application software
for the exemplary embodiment, and is used for user input of
instructions.
[0027] The display apparatus 30 displays an image on a display
screen 30a. The display apparatus 30 includes a unit having a
function of displaying an image, such as a liquid-crystal display
for a PC, a liquid-crystal television set, or a projector.
Therefore, the display method used in the display apparatus 30 is
not limited to the liquid-crystal type. In the example in FIG. 1,
the display screen 30a is disposed in the display apparatus 30.
However, when, for example, a projector is used as the display
apparatus 30, the display screen 30a corresponds to a screen or the
like disposed outside the display apparatus 30.
[0028] Each of the cameras 40, which is an exemplary imaging
apparatus, includes, for example, an optical system that converges
incident light, and an image sensor that is an imaging unit
detecting light converged by the optical system.
[0029] The optical system includes a single lens or a combination
of multiple lenses. In the optical system, various aberrations are
removed, for example, through the combination of lenses and coating
applied on lens surfaces. The image sensor is formed by arranging
imaging devices, such as charge coupled devices (CCDs) or
complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOSs).
[0030] The server 10 and the terminal apparatus 20 are connected to
each other, for example, over a network. The network is, for
example, a local area network (LAN) or the Internet.
[0031] The terminal apparatus 20 and the display apparatus 30 are
connected to each other, for example, through Digital Visual
Interface (DVI). Instead of DVI, the terminal apparatus 20 and the
display apparatus 30 may be connected to each other, for example,
via high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI.RTM.) or
DisplayPort.
[0032] The server 10 and the cameras 40 are connected to each
other, for example, via Universal Serial Bus (USB). Instead of USB,
the server 10 and the cameras 40 may be connected to each other,
for example, via IEEE1394 or RS-232C. However, this is not
limiting. Wireless connection, such as a wireless LAN or
Bluetooth.RTM., may be used.
[0033] Operations performed in the imaging system 1 will be
schematically described.
[0034] The multiple cameras 40 each photograph a shooting target.
In the example in FIG. 1, the shooting target is an image of an
operation of assembling an object. Imaging information obtained
through the photographing is transmitted to the server 10 for
storage. The server 10 obtains information about the photographing
using the multiple cameras 40, and determines the shooting areas of
the cameras 40 by using the obtained information. The terminal
apparatus 20 determines three-dimensional shooting areas on the
basis of the shooting areas determined by the server 10. The
terminal apparatus 20 generates display information for displaying
the three-dimensional shooting areas. The display information is
transmitted to the display apparatus 30 for display. A user who
views the screen displayed on the display apparatus 30 may operate
an input unit of the terminal apparatus 20, and may select a camera
40 that takes a photograph of a shooting area which the user wants
to view. Thus, image information of a shooting target photographed
in the shooting area desired by the user is downloaded from the
server 10, and is displayed on the display apparatus 30.
Description about the Server 10 and the Terminal Apparatus 20
[0035] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional
configuration example of the server 10 and the terminal apparatus
20 according to the exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates
functions which are related to the exemplary embodiment and which
are obtained by selecting from the various functions of the server
10 and the terminal apparatus 20.
[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the server 10 according to the
exemplary embodiment includes a server-side acquisition unit 110, a
shooting-area deriving unit 120, a viewing-angle range deriving
unit 130, and a storage unit 140. The server-side acquisition unit
110 acquires image information from the cameras 40. The
shooting-area deriving unit 120 obtains the shooting areas of the
cameras 40. The viewing-angle range deriving unit 130 obtains the
viewing angle ranges of the cameras 40. The storage unit 140 stores
the image information, the shooting areas, and the viewing angle
ranges.
[0037] The server-side acquisition unit 110 acquires image
information of images captured by using the respective cameras 40.
The server-side acquisition unit 110, which is an exemplary
shooting-condition acquisition unit, acquires the shooting
conditions of the cameras 40. The "shooting conditions" indicate
items that are set in photographing using the cameras 40. The
shooting conditions according to the exemplary embodiment are
classified into space conditions and settings conditions. The space
conditions indicate the positions and the angles of the cameras 40
in a three-dimensional space and the position and the angle of the
shooting target in the three-dimensional space. Specifically, for
example, the space conditions include the positions and the angles
of the cameras 40, the position and the angle of the shooting
target, and the position and the angle of the surface on which the
shooting target is disposed, and also include the distances between
the cameras 40 and the shooting target. The settings conditions
indicate setting values which are set to the cameras 40.
Specifically, the settings conditions indicate, for example, the
focal lengths, the lens apertures, the zooming factors, and the
resolutions of the cameras 40.
[0038] The server-side acquisition unit 110 acquires the shooting
conditions from the cameras 40 or through user input. The shooting
conditions stored in the storage unit 140 in advance may be
obtained from the storage unit 140.
[0039] The shooting-area deriving unit 120 obtains the shooting
areas of the cameras 40 on the basis of the shooting conditions. At
that time, a shooting area indicates an area in a common area for
the cameras 40. The "common area" indicates an area photographed
commonly by the cameras 40, and is a surface on which the shooting
target is disposed. When a shooting area is disposed on a plane,
the common area indicates the plane. As illustrated in FIG. 1, when
the shooting target is disposed on a desk, the common area is the
surface S of the desk.
[0040] The viewing-angle range deriving unit 130 obtains the
viewing angle ranges of the cameras 40. The viewing angle ranges of
the cameras 40 may be obtained from the shooting conditions
described above.
[0041] The storage unit 140 stores the image information acquired
by the server-side acquisition unit 110. The storage unit 140 also
stores the shooting areas obtained by the shooting-area deriving
unit 120, and the viewing angle ranges obtained by the
viewing-angle range deriving unit 130.
[0042] The terminal apparatus 20 according to the exemplary
embodiment includes a terminal-side acquisition unit 210, a
user-instruction receiving unit 220, an arrangement deriving unit
230, a generating unit 240, and an output unit 250. The
terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires the image information,
the shooting areas, the viewing angle ranges, and the like. The
user-instruction receiving unit 220 receives user instructions. The
arrangement deriving unit 230 obtains the three-dimensional
arrangements of the shooting areas. The generating unit 240
generates display information for displaying the three-dimensional
arrangements. The output unit 250 outputs the display
information.
[0043] The terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires the image
information from the storage unit 140 of the server 10. The
terminal-side acquisition unit 210, which is an exemplary
shooting-area acquisition unit, acquires information about the
shooting areas of the cameras 40 from the storage unit 140. The
terminal-side acquisition unit 210 also acquires the viewing angle
ranges of the cameras 40 from the storage unit 140.
[0044] As described in detail below, the user-instruction receiving
unit 220 receives, as a user instruction, an instruction indicating
which camera 40 among the cameras 40 is to be selected. That is, an
instruction indicating which shooting area is to be selected from
the shooting areas of the cameras 40 is received. The
user-instruction receiving unit 220 also receives an instruction
indicating which position, at which the three-dimensional
arrangements of the shooting areas which will be described in
detail below are viewed, is to be selected.
[0045] The arrangement deriving unit 230 obtains the
three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas produced when
the shooting areas are viewed in the three-dimensional space, on
the basis of the information about the shooting areas. A
three-dimensional arrangement indicates a view of a shooting area
obtained from a certain position in the three-dimensional space.
The arrangement deriving unit 230 obtains the three-dimensional
arrangements, for example, by performing space calculation and
arranging the shooting areas as a 3D model in the space.
[0046] The generating unit 240 generates pieces of display
information for displaying the shooting areas on the display
apparatus 30 which displays an image including the surface S. That
is, the generating unit 240 generates display information for the
display apparatus 30 displaying the three-dimensional arrangements,
which are obtained by the arrangement deriving unit 230, of the
shooting areas on the surface S. The display information may be
generated, for example, by using HTML5 canvas which operates on a
web browser.
[0047] The generating unit further generates additional display
information as the display information. The "additional display
information" is additional information about the shooting areas.
More specifically, the "additional display information" is
additional information for indicating the relative positions of the
three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas in the space.
The additional display information, which will be described in
detail below, is, for example, information indicating the positions
of the cameras 40, display information indicating the viewing
angles of the cameras 40, and image information of a real
object.
[0048] The output unit 250 outputs, to the display apparatus 30,
the display information generated by the generating unit 240. Thus,
the display apparatus 30 displays the three-dimensional
arrangements of the shooting areas of the cameras 40.
Description about Display Information
[0049] FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating actual examples in
which display information generated by the generating unit 240 is
displayed on the display screen 30a of the display apparatus 30.
FIGS. 3A to 3C illustrate examples in which pieces of display
information for three respective cameras 40 are displayed on the
display apparatus 30.
[0050] FIG. 3A illustrates the case in which the three-dimensional
arrangement of the shooting area R1 is displayed for a camera 40a,
whose camera ID is 1, among the three cameras 40 on the basis of
the display information, which is generated by the generating unit
240, for displaying the three-dimensional arrangements of the
cameras 40. The shooting area R1 is rectangular as illustrated in
FIG. 3A, and is a part of the predetermined surface S.
[0051] In this example, as the additional display information,
display information for displaying the surface S, which is the
common area, as the background along with the shooting area R1 is
generated and displayed. In this case, the background is displayed
as a figure prepared in advance. In the example in FIG. 3A, the
figure indicates a schematic view representing the surface S. The
"schematic view" is a figure which schematically represents the
surface S and objects disposed around the surface S. In this
example, the surface S is drawn as a schematic view by using a mesh
surface. The schematic view may be a figure illustrated by using a
polygon. A figure representing the background is not limited to
this. For example, a layout view illustrating the surface S may be
used. The "layout view" is a figure illustrating the arrangement of
the surface S and objects around the surface S. The layout view is,
for example, a map or a design drawing.
[0052] The example in which display information indicating the
position of the camera 40a is generated as additional display
information and in which the position of the camera 40a is
displayed is illustrated. The camera 40a is located outside the
display screen 30a. Therefore, the position of the camera 40a is
illustrated by using a mark Q1 having a water droplet shape. In
this case, the camera 40a is positioned in the direction in which
the top Q2 of the water droplet is oriented. That is, in this case,
the camera 40a is positioned above the mark Q1.
[0053] The example in which the generating unit 240 generates
display information indicating the viewing angle of the camera 40a
as additional display information and in which the viewing angle of
the camera 40a is displayed is illustrated. The viewing angle of
the camera 40a is indicated by using lines L1 that connect the
camera 40a to the outer borders of the shooting area R1. The lines
L1 are displayed as four dotted lines connecting the camera 40a to
the four corners of the rectangular shooting area R1.
[0054] FIG. 3B illustrates the case in which the three-dimensional
arrangement of the rectangular shooting area R2 on the
predetermined surface S is displayed for a camera 40b, whose camera
ID is 2, among the three cameras 40. In this example, the position
of the camera 40b is displayed, and the viewing angle of the camera
40b is indicated by using four lines L2 connecting the camera 40b
to the four corners of the rectangular shooting area R2. In this
case, the camera 40b is positioned inside the display screen 30a. A
circular mark Q3 indicates the position of the camera 40b.
[0055] Similarly, FIG. 3C illustrates the case in which the
three-dimensional arrangement of the rectangular shooting area R3
on the predetermined surface S is displayed for a camera 40c, whose
ID is 3, among the three cameras 40. The position of the camera 40c
is displayed, and the viewing angle of the camera 40c is indicated
by using four lines L3 connecting the camera 40c to the four
corners of the rectangular shooting area R3. Also in this case, the
camera 40c is positioned outside the display screen 30a. Therefore,
the mark Q1 having a water droplet shape indicates the position of
the camera 40c. In this case, it is indicated that the camera 40c
is positioned in the direction in which the top Q2 of the water
droplet is oriented, and that the camera 40c is positioned on the
right of the mark Q1.
Description about Operations of the Imaging System
[0056] Operations in the imaging system 1 will be described.
[0057] The operations performed by the server 10 in the imaging
system 1 will be described. In this example, the number of cameras
40 is N.
[0058] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of operations performed by the server
10 according to the exemplary embodiment.
[0059] The server-side acquisition unit 110 acquires image
information and shooting conditions of the multiple cameras 40
(step 101).
[0060] The server-side acquisition unit 110 associates the shooting
conditions as metadata of the image information, and stores the
shooting conditions and the image information in the storage unit
140 (step 102).
[0061] The shooting-area deriving unit 120 obtains the shooting
condition of the camera 40 whose camera ID is n (step 103). The
initial value of n is 1.
[0062] The shooting-area deriving unit 120 obtains the shooting
area of the camera 40 on the basis of the shooting condition (step
104).
[0063] The viewing-angle range deriving unit 130 obtains the
viewing angle range of the camera 40 on the basis of the shooting
condition (step 105).
[0064] The shooting area and the viewing angle range are stored in
the storage unit 140 (step 106).
[0065] The shooting-area deriving unit 120 determines whether or
not n is less than N (step 107).
[0066] If the result indicates that n is less than N (Yes in step
107), the shooting-area deriving unit 120 adds 1 to n (step 108),
and the process returns to step 103.
[0067] If n is not less than N (No in step 107), the series of
processes end.
[0068] Operations performed by the terminal apparatus 20 in the
imaging system 1 will be described.
First Exemplary Embodiment
[0069] Operations performed by the terminal apparatus 20 according
to a first exemplary embodiment will be described. In the first
exemplary embodiment, the case in which a user selects a camera 40
whose shooting area is displayed will be described.
[0070] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operations performed by the
terminal apparatus 20 according to the first exemplary
embodiment.
[0071] The terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires the shooting
areas and the viewing angle ranges of the multiple cameras 40 from
the storage unit 140 of the server 10 (step 201).
[0072] The user-instruction receiving unit 220 obtains selection
information indicating which camera 40 is to be selected (step
202). The "selection information" is information indicating the
camera 40 selected by the user. The selection information
describes, for example, a camera ID.
[0073] The arrangement deriving unit 230 obtains a
three-dimensional arrangement produced when the shooting area is
viewed in the space, on the basis of information about the shooting
area (step 203).
[0074] The generating unit 240 generates display information for
the display apparatus 30 that displays the three-dimensional
arrangement (step 204).
[0075] The output unit 250 transmits, to the display apparatus 30,
the display information generated by the generating unit 240 (step
205). As a result, the display apparatus 30 displays the
three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area of the selected
camera 40.
[0076] When the user who views the three-dimensional arrangement
judges that there is no problem in selection of the camera 40, for
example, the user selects the OK button or the like (not
illustrated). Thus, the terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires
the image information of the selected camera 40 from the storage
unit 140 of the server 10 (step 206).
[0077] The output unit 250 transmits the image information to the
display apparatus 30 (step 207). As a result, the display apparatus
30 displays the image of the selected camera 40.
[0078] The output unit 250 determines whether or not the image
information indicates a still image, and, if the image information
indicates a moving image, determines whether or not the moving
image has been played back (step 208).
[0079] If the image information does not indicate a still image and
indicates a moving image that has not been played back (No in step
208), the process proceeds to step 207.
[0080] If the image information indicates a still image or a moving
image that has been played back (Yes in step 208), the series of
processes end.
[0081] FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating the
three-dimensional arrangements, which are displayed on the display
apparatus 30 in step 205 in FIG. 5, of the shooting areas of the
cameras 40.
[0082] FIG. 6A illustrates the case in which the three-dimensional
arrangement of the shooting area of the camera 40a, whose camera ID
is 1, is displayed as display information.
[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the shooting area R1 of the
camera 40a and the lines L1 indicating the viewing angle of the
camera 40a, which are similar to FIG. 3A, are displayed. As
additional display information, in addition to the position of the
camera 40a and the lines L1 indicating the viewing angle of the
camera 40a, a real-object image J obtained by actually
photographing the surface S which is a common area is displayed as
the background. The three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting
area R1 of the camera 40a is superimposed on the real-object image
J obtained through actual photographing using the camera 40a. The
real-object image J indicates an area photographed commonly by the
cameras 40. The image J is desirably an image in which the entire
photographed area is viewed.
[0084] FIG. 6D illustrates the real-object image J. The real-object
image J is an image obtained by photographing the shooting target
and an area around the shooting target. The real-object image J may
be an image captured by any of the cameras 40. As a result, a user
recognizes the three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area
R1 more concretely.
[0085] FIG. 6B illustrates the case in which the three-dimensional
arrangement of the shooting area of the camera 40b, whose camera ID
is 2, is displayed as display information.
[0086] Similarly to FIG. 6A, in FIG. 6B, the shooting area R2 of
the camera 40b, the surface S, the position of the camera 40b, and
the lines L2 indicating the viewing angle of the camera 40b are
displayed. The three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area
R2 of the camera 40b is superimposed on the real-object image
J.
[0087] FIG. 6C illustrates the case in which the three-dimensional
arrangement of the shooting area of the camera 40c, whose camera ID
is 3, is displayed as display information.
[0088] Similarly to FIG. 6A, in FIG. 6C, the shooting area R3 of
the camera 40c, the surface S, the position of the camera 40c, and
the lines L3 indicating the viewing angle of the camera 40c are
displayed. The three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area
R3 of the camera 40c is superimposed on the real-object image
J.
Second Exemplary Embodiment
[0089] The operations performed by the terminal apparatus 20
according to a second exemplary embodiment will be described. In
the second exemplary embodiment, the case in which a user selects a
camera 40 among the cameras 40 whose shooting areas have been
displayed will be described.
[0090] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operations performed by the
terminal apparatus 20 according to the second exemplary
embodiment.
[0091] The terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires the shooting
areas and the viewing angle ranges of the cameras 40 from the
storage unit 140 of the server 10 (step 301).
[0092] The arrangement deriving unit 230 obtains three-dimensional
arrangements produced when the shooting areas of the cameras 40 are
viewed in the space, on the basis of information about the shooting
areas (step 302). That is, the three-dimensional arrangements of
the shooting areas of all of the cameras 40 that are being used are
obtained.
[0093] The generating unit 240 generates display information for
the display apparatus 30 which displays the three-dimensional
arrangements (step 303).
[0094] The output unit 250 transmits, to the display apparatus 30,
display information generated by the generating unit 240 (step
304). As a result, the display apparatus 30 displays the
three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas of the cameras
40. A user who views the three-dimensional arrangements selects a
camera 40.
[0095] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary screen
displayed on the display screen 30a of the display apparatus 30 at
that time.
[0096] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the shooting areas R1 to R3
illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6C are displayed in images G1 to G3. One
of the images G1 to G3 is selected through clicking using an input
unit such as a mouse. Then, an image G4 indicating one of the
shooting areas R1 to R3 is displayed. FIG. 8 illustrates the
example in which the image G1 for the camera 40a is selected and in
which an image of the shooting area R1 obtained through
photographing using the camera 40a is displayed as the image
G4.
[0097] In this case, the images G1 to G3 serve as a selecting unit
that selects, among the cameras 40, a camera 40, for which the
three-dimensional arrangement is to be displayed on the display
apparatus 30. The image G4 serves as a switching unit that switches
to an image obtained through photographing using the camera 40
selected by the selecting unit.
[0098] Back to FIG. 7, the user-instruction receiving unit 220
obtains the selection information describing the camera 40 selected
by the user (step 305).
[0099] The terminal-side acquisition unit 210 acquires, from the
storage unit 140 of the server 10, image information of the
selected camera 40 (step 306). The subsequent steps 307 and 308 are
similar to steps 207 and 208 in FIG. 6.
[0100] In this case, in step 304, multiple three-dimensional
arrangements of the shooting areas of the cameras 40 are displayed
on the display apparatus 30. That is, the shooting areas are
collectively displayed with respect to the surface S that is a
common area. Therefore, for example, the screens illustrated in
FIGS. 6A to 6C may be arranged next to each other for display. That
is, in this case, the three-dimensional arrangements are displayed
on the respective screens for the cameras 40. This enables a user
to easily compare the shooting areas of the cameras 40 with each
other.
[0101] In this example, the shooting areas R1 to R3 of the cameras
40 are displayed on the respective screens for the cameras 40. That
is, on each of the screens, a corresponding one of the shooting
areas is superimposed, for display, on the surface S that is a
common area.
[0102] The method of collectively displaying the three-dimensional
arrangements of the shooting areas of the cameras 40 is not limited
to this.
[0103] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the case in which the
shooting areas R1 to R4 of the cameras 40 are displayed on a single
screen. In this case, the shooting areas R1 to R4 are superimposed,
for display, on the surface S that is a common area. That is, as
illustrated in FIG. 9, the three-dimensional arrangement of the
shooting area R1 of the camera 40a, the three-dimensional
arrangement of the shooting area R2 of the camera 40b, the
three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area R3 of the camera
40c, and the three-dimensional arrangement of the shooting area R4
of the camera 40d are superimposed, for display, on each other in a
single screen. This enables a user to grasp the difference in the
positional relationship among the shooting areas of the cameras 40
more easily.
[0104] According to the above-described exemplary embodiments, even
when multiple cameras 40 are used to capture images, the shooting
positions and the shooting angles of the cameras 40 may be easily
grasped, facilitating selection of an image.
[0105] According to the above-described exemplary embodiments, the
server 10 and the terminal apparatus 20 operate as separate
apparatuses. Alternatively, a single apparatus into which these are
integrated may operate.
[0106] For example, the imaging system 1 described above may be
used in the case where the cameras 40 are security cameras and
where a user who is an observer selects an image from images
captured by the cameras 40. In this case, the user views the
three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas of the cameras
40, and selects a camera 40 whose photographed area is to be an
area to be watched.
[0107] For example, a product assembly process is photographed in
advance and recorded by using the cameras 40 in terms of various
angles and shooting areas. When a user wants to learn or check the
product assembly process, the recorded information may be used. In
this case, the user views the three-dimensional arrangements of the
shooting areas of the cameras 40, and selects a camera 40 whose
photographed area corresponds to the area, the angle, and the like
with which checking is to be performed.
Description about Programs
[0108] The process performed by the server 10 according to the
exemplary embodiment described above is prepared, for example, as
programs such as application software.
[0109] The process performed by the server 10 according to the
exemplary embodiment may be interpreted as programs for causing a
computer to implement a shooting-condition acquisition function of
acquiring the shooting conditions of the cameras 40, a
shooting-area deriving function of obtaining the shooting areas of
the cameras 40 on the basis of the shooting conditions, and a
viewing-angle range deriving function of obtaining the viewing
angle ranges of the cameras 40.
[0110] Similarly, the process performed by the terminal apparatus
20 according to the exemplary embodiments is prepared, for example,
as programs such as application software.
[0111] Therefore, the process performed by the terminal apparatus
20 according to the exemplary embodiments may be interpreted as
programs for causing a computer to implement a shooting-area
acquisition function of acquiring information about the shooting
areas of the cameras 40, an arrangement deriving function of
obtaining three-dimensional arrangements of the shooting areas
produced when the shooting areas are viewed in a three-dimensional
space on the basis of information about the shooting areas, and a
generating function of generating display information for the
display apparatus 30 which displays the three-dimensional
arrangements.
[0112] The programs for implementing the exemplary embodiments may
be provided not only through a communication unit but also by
storing the programs in a recording medium such as a compact
disc-read-only memory (CD-ROM).
[0113] The exemplary embodiments are described. The technical scope
of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope of the
exemplary embodiments described above. It is clear, from the
claims, that embodiments obtained by adding various changes and
improvements to the exemplary embodiments described above are
encompassed in the technical scope of the present disclosure.
* * * * *